Fire Begins Near California Interstate, Threatens Homes

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

Wildfires are sweeping through several dry Western states, including a massive blaze that briefly shut down part of the main interstate between Southern and Northern California. A look at the latest hotspots and what crews are doing to control them:

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SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Hundreds of people have been evacuated from homes as an 85-acre wildfire burns through brushy canyonlands north of Los Angeles.

About 300 people have been forced out of houses and a mobile home park in the Newhall area of Santa Clarita. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department says about 30 horses were also moved to safer ground.

The fire began shortly after 1 p.m. Wednesday on the shoulder of Interstate 5, briefly closing northbound lanes of the freeway.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2015/06/24/us/ap-us-western-wildfires.html?_r=0

[NCarolinawoman]

1. Horrible tragedy for humans, animals, birds, and all creatures.

When you get a fire starting near the side of a road it is often traced to a cigarette butt. Central North Carolina sometimes has very small fires started that way. Fortunately, they are put out quickly and of course we have a lot more rain.

Doubt that a lightening strike is causing all these fires. It's usually a careless jerk or something more nefarious.

[Sunlei]

3. even driving off the dirt onto dry brush will start a fire in many areas.

[raouldukelives]

2. California is going to burn. Just a matter of time.

Horribly sad. The scariest part to me is with the way the weather patterns have been shifting over the last few decades with the loss of rainfall and hotter and longer summers, I don't think most of the native trees will return, including Redwoods and Sequoias, after the burn as they classically would have.

[niyad]

4. just thinking a few minutes ago that yesterday was the second anniversary of the waldo canyon

fire here. so sad to hear about yet another fire in parched CA.